Attract the Right Job or Clientele: It is always surprising when people approach selling a product without mentioning the value it will provide. Without drawing the picture of why services are needed, representatives need to drop their pricing versus holding steady. My Story In the initial stages of a sales career, the process is nerve-wracking at best. Pressure is put upon salespeople to make their numbers, and their livelihood depends upon making it happen. Should a representative give into fear, they quickly lower the price. The unfortunate pieces are commission is almost non-existent, and clients see no reason for loyalty. Instead, the initial sale is a one-time event. On the entrepreneu...

This sheep greets me every morning, or rather, she races off in that skittish, Benny Hill way as she sees the hound approaching, out of breath, careering towards her on rheumatic, geriatric legs. I love the black patch surrounding the ewe's eye. This is a ewe by the way, that means she's a girl. Rams have broad faces which resemble satyrs. A ram's face is quite literally one of the most captivating and spellbinding images- it evokes mythology and mysticism in its sheer beauty. A ram's life is especially envious because he must shag the ewes to produce lambs. Whereas the ewes will eventually be sold for mutton, as long as the rams can keep getting a leg over, they stay out of the abattoir. A...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Being a house guest is very similar to preparing for client meetings. Only most visitors do not think ahead in this sense. The error is they focus solely on their vacation and themselves. A friend shared her experience that gives valuable lessons to be applied to meetings. My Story via Janelle As I heard Janelle relay her story about visitors, I knew a blog was in the making! Upon being asked which airport is best, Janelle said that one was nearby and only fifteen minutes away. Further explanation conveyed that the other is thirty minutes away with heavy traffic added to the mix. To Janelle’s dismay, her suggestion was ignored. With good humor, the guests ...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Note: Today’s introduction and infographic are provided by Jess Andriani of ConnextDigital Ever since social media came along, almost everyone jumped on the bandwagon to join the digital crowd. You’d be hard-pressed to name any of your friends that don’t have a profile on Facebook, Twitter, or any of the top social platforms. And it’s true – in a way, as businesses today don’t exist if they don’t have a Facebook page. But while social media is one of the most popular platforms for getting your business out there, it’s not the best for everyone. In fact, statistics reveal that email still beats social media in terms of marketing prowess, which means you ...

Valentine’s Day brings chubbity cupids slinging arrows; velvety, red roses; life’s boxed chocolates, and a love-centric theme that will be just about everywhere. Love is a beautiful thing. It should be celebrated. (Side bar: days leading up to and the day after Valentine’s Day, are also some of the busiest for infidelity. Read through my other V-day blog posts for more on this.) Along with love comes the term “unconditional.” This has been a staple when referencing romantic relationships. We tend to believe it without reserve or question: Love your mate unconditionally. Yet, with more relationships and growth I experience, I question this phrase. In theory it’s a lovely sentiment; in applica...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Today’s Guest Blog is by Toby Beresford: The Gamification Guru Story In October 2011, I was working from my brother-in-law’s room in a farmhouse in West Sussex, England. I had hit a dead end. My wife was pregnant with our first child. I knew having a family would mean more costs. Yet my startup business focused on gamification of work was going nowhere. The product was behind schedule, the marketing plan hazy, and the sales strategy unformed. The one marketing activity I was doing was writing a blog. But it was barely cutting through the noise. The content was reasonable yet unremarkable. The target audience was frankly unaware we existed. I wanted to re...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Most people recognize that delayed problem-solving affects the bottom-line. However, few will take swift action to resolve problems. Today’s story illustrate what can go wrong. My Story The standout story is that of a maintenance company. They claim they don’t have enough time to fix building issues in one community. The property management company that hires the firm was content to let them work at their own pace. But allowing insufficient insulation around the entry doors is not a good answer during the chilly winter months. The problem-solving effort was to turn up the heat. ‘Penny wise and pound foolish,’ is a proverb that comes to mind. When pres...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: All week long indications of business going under would have anyone scratching their head wondering what’s going on? The good news is the people hurt by the nonsense have good business sense. My Story I’m the type who is a loyal client when the service and products I use, prove to be outstanding. It was to my horror that my phone call was ignored, and a follow-up attempt was also left unanswered. The idea of having to hunt for a similar service at fair value was far from appealing. I began to think the business ended. In another matter, an email sent to a new service provider never received a response. I began to question whether it was him or if the email...

For my Recipe-of-the-Month, I have chosen Sardoni in Savor (Marinated Sardines), in honor of this month’s Carnevale di Venezia. Called “sarde in saor” in Venetian dialect, this ancient dish is evidence of the Venetian influence throughout Friuli. While sardines are used in much of Friuli and the Veneto, European anchovies—known locally as “sardoni barcolani”—are more common in the area around Trieste and the nearby town of Barcola. Visit Flavors-of-Friuli.com for the recipe. Original link

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Maintaining a full pipeline while seeking new clients is an essential effort for salespeople. We can avoid many of the departures by taking the following ideas below into consideration. Long-term clientele will leave for varying reasons, but one stands out from the rest. My Story Yesterday evening I was the client attempting to log into an account. I repeatedly attempted the feat but was caught in a loop. Customer ‘care’ was contacted. The first representative had me try the same multiple times. The Tech Rep did a repeat, and management finally took over the helpline. Hope was in the air. An hour and a quarter later, (determined) I was asked for my birthda...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: As I began to browse through new business books, I realized there are similarities in thinking among leaders of varying types. Those who excel in sales advise to remain focused on high-end goals, and thought leaders suggest we maintain our fondest vision. My Story Keeping an eye on people in our industry and on what thought leaders are saying will help sharpen our focus. As I was looking at the books, I mentally made comparisons of where the similarities and differences are for additional thought. What we advise in common is the need to persevere no matter how difficult the situation. Tweets frequently convey that continued failure leads to success. My wri...

I don’t think we realize how many walls we have built in the 21st Century. Walls in schools against morality and patriotism. Walls in congress between parties. Walls in hearts against committing to real needs. Walls of diversity. Walls of opportunity. Walls to history. Walls to common sense. Walls to tradition. You can make your own lists. We are more separated than ever in history. And the world is not less evil. Social networks have provided freedoms and walls to free thought. Opinions rule. Sensitivities rule. All a threat to greater truths and needs. America has always been known for her heart and her ability to use it. America cannot spread herself so thin that she cannot help anyone. E...

Since it had been several days since I had done any grocery shopping, I spent the early part of my morning picking up milk, bread, and another can of tuna at the mini supermercato down the street, a hunk of latteria cheese at the salumeria on Via di Cavana, and an eggplant and a tomato at a nearby produce market. I just needed enough food to get me through my final three days in Trieste. After dropping off my groceries, I headed back out to Pasticceria Penso, finding my friends busy as always in the kitchen. Antonello was putting the finishing touches on a dozen sachertortes, a batch of presnitz was in the oven, and Lorenzo was preparing some puff pastry. Their father, Italo Stoppar, was ass...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Marvyn Gaye’s song, “I heard it through the grapevine” comes to mind as I recall hearing about ‘Anita.’ The words people use to describe her are not kind. She is the perfect example of how salespeople kill the sale and entrepreneurs do damage to their personal brand. My Story Unanimously the stories about Anita began to unfold. I couldn’t believe someone would behave that way in a community setting. But then I had my chance to experience the same. The common problem among the unsuccessful is they only think about themselves and not of the benefit for all concerned. Anita chose to arrive at a social event the first evening, but all she did was talk non-st...

News of Neil Diamond retiring from music due to ill health, the death of one of my heroes, Paul Bocuse and also that of Jazz legend, Hugh Masekela, this morning, make for sad reading and the realisation that life is short. All three of these men have one thing in common- they made their mark by living a life less than ordinary and they will be remembered for generations to come. Not everyone will become rich and famous but we do need to have the courage to follow our own path and define ourselves in a harsh and demanding world. Each of us has some sort of destiny and we must have the courage to find it and create our own language. Great sculptors like Henry Moore and painters such as Picasso...

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Re-Posted From SealsForChrist.com Every night we close our eyes on a hopefully soft pillow and under sheets and covers and polartec. Polartec is great. I call it DreamFleece. Soon good and bad dreams fill our being with hope or despair. It is a virtual reality we have known since our day one. We always like dreaming about good places where we would like to be. Warmth and sun and freedom. Yet, so much of the world does not offer that, only fear and visions of hunger and pain. It is not fair. I wouldn’t want to be a dreamer in the rubble of Syria or the spiritual vacuum of North Korea. Hell is everywhere and can be everywhere if we allow it. In our beautiful United States of America, we bicker...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: One of the more difficult transitions a salesperson can make as they enter the world of entrepreneurship is to share. The sharing refers to introductions, opportunities, networks, articles, and just about anything else that comes to mind. It is the complete opposite of the highly competitive sales environment. My Story My initial experience included concern over whether the sharing might damage my effort. But the opposite proved to be true and is history. With that said, some people are still stuck in the old mode of thinking. They belong to groups but are reluctant to share the good work of others. When we embrace collaborative efforts the visibility of e...

I wish and hope that this year has started in a grand style for you and that will carry on like that all the way through and even further! No reason for me to complain, because I continue to get your reviews and that means you are reading my book A World Without Color , which is the greatest reward and a gift to any writer! When I read books before I didn't realize how important reviews are. Even if it is just one sentence. As long as they are honest and you speak from the heart. With your review you recommend the book you loved and enjoyed reading and you also help bring more readers through the complicated Amazon algorithm. Putting it simply, the more books you buy, the more reviews y...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Being adept at handling all types of issues is a necessity. Curveballs arrive rapidly and how we address them makes all the difference. There is a need to shrug off the bad and move on. To begin, breathe deeply and smile. My Story The reason for smiling when something unexpected occurs is knowing that once past it, a better situation lies ahead. We become smarter due to the experience. It took a long time to figure this out. Similarly, when I ask a question of someone, I volunteer that either ‘no’ or ‘yes’ is acceptable. And if criticism is part of the equation, I can handle it. Humor helps soften the response, and it may also influence a positive reply. O...

Attract the Right Job or Clientele: Given our hectic schedules, we sometimes push checking for metrics aside. But not knowing what isn’t working can harm the outcome. Rather than let checkups on processes and statistics slide, it’s best to schedule a routine checkup. My Story One might say I’m fanatical about checking statistics each day. I’m competitive only with myself as I want to see continued improvement. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but overall, from year to year, numbers do continue to rise. For example, I follow Riseborders on Twitter for social standing. And other sites are scrutinized for the popularity of topics so that I know about which to continue writing. Those in th...